Automatic transmissions frequently asked questions

September 19, 2019

Automatic transmissions-we take them for granted! Automatic transmissions involve a series of specially machined parts and processes that work together to shift your car into gear (and more!) If you stop and think about what they actually do, it seems like witchcraft. Let’s explore our favourite part of the engine a little more in-depth by answering some common questions.

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How Does an Automatic Transmission Work?

Simply put, an automatic transmission uses sensors to detect when it needs to shift gears. Then, using internal oil pressure, it slides smoothly into the proper gear. The number of moving parts within your car’s automatic transmission is difficult to wrap your mind around. What do all those parts even do? Let’s break it down:

The automatic transmission is responsible for providing a series of different-sized gears between the engine and drive wheels of a car
Your engine connects to your transmission at a place called bell housing. The bell housing encompasses a torque converter for automatic transmission-equipped vehicles
The torque converter is a fluid coupling whose job it is to connect your engine to your transmission and thus to your driven wheels.

2012 Jeep Wrangler 5-speed Automatic Transmission

The transmission uses the principle of planetary gearsets, which stay enmeshed. This gives the transmission ability to vary gear ratios. This causes both speed reduction and torque multiplication.
Transmission fluid pumps in a loop between the impeller to the turbine. When the fluid is returning from the turbine, it works against the impeller’s rotation and therefore against the engine.
The stator sits between the impeller and turbine. Its mission? Increase torque output by redirecting the fluid as it returns from the turbine to the impeller.
Stators provide your auto with more torque when you’re either stalling or while accelerating, but not during cruising.
Some torque converters contain a lock-up clutch that “locks” the turbine with the torque converter housing. This ensures the turbine and impeller stay mechanically connected.

How May I Check Automatic Transmission Fluid?

Your engine’s transmission fluid flows in a closed loop from the impeller to the turbine, helping to amplify torque. The fluid goes through a lot. When “churning losses” (an amount of fluid lost over time) occur, the temperature of the fluid rises. This degrades the fluid, which starts to break down over time.

To check your automatic transmission fluid, look for a dipstick handle sticking out of your transmission. This is located toward the rear of an in-line engine on vehicles with rear-wheel drive–simply check your owner’s manual if you can’t spot it on sight. If your car hesitates when reaching certain speeds (when the automatic transmission shifts gears) check your transmission fluid level before you call up your mechanic. When in doubt, have a professional look at it.

How Often Should an Automatic Transmission be Serviced?

Guidelines for mileage and time vary between car makes and models. Drivers can also make the difference, depending on how they use or abuse their transmissions. A usual automatic transmission lasts around 180,000 to 220,000 kilometres or approximately seven years. That’s a general rule. However, extreme cases exist across the spectrum. Some autos have early failure while others experience extreme longevity.

Photo of a tachometer

Extend the life of your automatic transmission with routine maintenance and flushing. If you have experience working under the hood, you may be able to flush your transmission on your own. Take out the guesswork by hiring a mechanic to have your transmission’s fluid and filter changed. Similar to an oil change, you’ll want to refer to your owner’s manual specifications for exact service intervals. In general, it’s good to change the oil and filter every 20,000 to 30,000 km or every year and a half. Newer cars will need to have their automatic transmission flushed free of particles and debris every 50,000 to 60,000 km.

How Often Should You Change Automatic Transmission Fluid?

Transmission fluid is designed to cool down the internal parts of the transmission. All those moving parts create a lot of heat! Low fluid levels can make the transmission overheat and cause serious, irreversible damage. Depending on how much you drive, it’s a good idea to check the transmission fluid at least once a month with the engine running.

Engine Oil

Some people swear by synthetic transmission fluids for the following reasons:

Better Resistance to Oxidation
Smoother Shifting
Longer transmission life
Resist thermal degradation
Reduce rust

Before making the switch to a synthetic, you should use the type of transmission fluid recommended by your owner’s manual. Over time, heat breaks down the organic compounds in regular automatic transmission fluid. This makes it less effective and can wear down your transmission, especially if it is older. Heat-resistant synthetic fluid will benefit your aging automatic transmission. It’s especially helpful to those who drive heavy industrial vehicles, or frequently ride through mountains. A transmission specialist can help determine the best fit for your engine.

What Should I do When Automatic Transmission is Slipping During Acceleration?

A slipping transmission is a telltale sign that your automatic transmission either needs to be serviced or repaired. Keep your eyes and ears open for the following signs:

Unusually high RPM
Delays in acceleration
Unable to reverse the car
Burnt or unusual smells
Check engine light is on
Shifting gears is more difficult than usual
Shifting gears produces harsh noises

We do not recommend driving a vehicle with a slipping transmission. If your vehicle unexpectedly starts switching gears while you are driving, this can quickly turn into a dangerous situation! Also, when a transmission starts to slip, the vehicle can be unreliable and shaky. Another sign of a slipping transmission is that the vehicle simply does not change gears smoothly.

It’s good to know that when your transmission gears are slipping it does not always mean your transmission is failing. If you catch a shifting issue very early, a transmission fluid flush can sometimes fix shifting issues. The fresh fluid helps all of the system’s discs to bond and hold without slipping. When in doubt, have a professional look at it.

      Excellent rating  
 Based on 280 reviews 
    
  
 
 
      I must say, I’m not one to often leave reviews, especially when it comes to services like this. However I was really pleasantly surprised with the service here. I’m quite new to the Perth area and had a whining issue with my 2010 rav4, so did some digging for transmission shops around the area, the review of this one definitely stood out and they didn’t disappoint! I went to the Toyota dealership to get the same issue looked at and they just took my 250$ and told me to completely change the Trans and Front diff and quoted me 20k. I came here for a second opinion. I got a call back from cam, who told me after looking at the car it is indeed noisy but it isn’t something that actually deteriorates the life of the car. He proceeded to tell me he has dealt with a lot of the callbacks for this exact model and problem. He told me if I could live with the noise and couldn’t afford a repair he’d recommend I just drive with it. He told me if you put the noisy piece next to one that isn’t noisy you wouldn’t even be able to tell the difference. I really really appreciated the transparency and honesty here, he didn’t try and upsell me or quote me an expensive repair, he just gave me the god honest truth (you can drive with it, if you want the noise gone only way to fix it is to replace it). If there is any other issues with my car at all I’ll be sure to come back here as I was truly impressed by the transparency and quality of service. Many many thanks to the team and especially cam! Bloody legend!
     
   Obey Summer 
 1 days ago
 
 
 
 
    The team at Automatic Transmissions R US were fantastic. Their service was excellent. Pam and the team made the process easy, especially as I was transporting my vehicle by courier. They were able to book my car in for as soon as I could get it delivered. The service team did great work inspecting and then completing the repairs. They kept in contact with any updates and were fast, reliable and reasonably priced.
Thank you Automatic Transmissions R US
     
   Michelle Te Aho-Woodbrook 
 9 days ago
 
 
 
 
    
     
   H S 
 48 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Came here to check my card transmission, very satisfied with the results and they give me good feed back that I need to do, luckily the transmission is no issue so, no charge for that, thanks very much for best service :)
     
   Faisal 
 55 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Ongoing issues with my car others couldn't fix, they sorted first visit, no issues since. Highly recommended 👍👍
     
   markymark9172 
 56 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Cameron and the team are the go to for transmission issues. I could not be happier with the service provided.
     
   Chris Parker 
 84 days ago
 
 
 
 
    I booked the vehicle in for a noise I thought was coming from the gearbox. Graham inspected the vehicle and found it was not a gearbox issue. Graham pointed out other possible faults that could result in the problem i was experiencing. I felt reassured and can highly recommend this repairer who didn't charge me for the diagnosis. Thanks to Cameron and the team at Automatic Transmission R Us a job well done.
     
   George Doneo 
 84 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Trailblazer/ Colorado TC shudder
Had to fight with Holden for many years for a repair for the TC shudder, offered a band aid fix from Holden that failed on two previous occasions.
The team at Transmissions R us were completely honest, as a mechanic in a previous life the explanation of the common problem made sense. (Phoenix Holden constantly denied this issue)
Had the  Transmission  repaired and drove like new, I literally drove the vehicle across Australia towing a boat. After 10 months noticed some slight leaking of ATF on the bell housing. The team repaired the leak that included removal of the Transmission without question.Highly recommend this business.
     
   Darren Ginnane 
 107 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Took my car in recently on short notice when I was informed of a auto trans issue from my normal mechanic. I was met with exceptional customer service and expertise which lead to a quick diagnosis to confirm my true issue which was a crappy ac compressor making the noise.

Will definitely be returning to these guys in the future for any auto trans work.
     
   luke sampson 
 116 days ago
 
 
 
 
    Was just booking in my car,great conversation very up front with the information I needed to know  very helpful
     
   James Taylor 
 119 days ago